Dulzin: ‘hayom Harat Olam’ — Today is the Birthday of the World

September 5, 1975

JERUSALEM (Sep. 4)

In the Rosh Hashanah prayers it is written “Hayom harat olam–today is the birthday of the world. Whatever was our yesterday, today–as every day–we start anew.” Jewish Agency acting chairman Leon Dulzin recalled this haunting verse for the liturgy to conclude his New Year message for the People of Israel and the diaspora. “The past year,” Dulzin recalled, has brought its full measure of sorrow for our people.”

He listed the renewed agony of Soviet Jews who have not been allowed to emigrate, the plight of Jews still in Arab lands, the “intensification of the war of terror” in Israel itself. “a year of bitter economic and financial burdens which have become even heavier, as the costs of maintaining our security grew even heavier.” Finally, Dulzin recalled, “We suffered the loss of…Pinhas Sapir, a great builder of Israel, a great leader of Jewry.”